New Grandparents
by LadyCressa
Summary: Received as an anonymous Tumblr request. Bardock and Gine meet newborn Gohan. One shot.


Bardock sensed it among the sea of other hospital patients. He was a grandfather. He felt Kakarot, Kakarot's human mate, and a new warmth right there with them. From the smile Gine flashed up at Bardock, she felt it, too. The giant man known as Ox King—the only other present for the Sons' new arrival—sat oblivious to Bardock's and Gine's awareness.

It was another while before the door to the delivery ward finally opened and Kakarot emerged.

Gine gasped and jumped out of her chair and Ox King did the same. "Kakarot!"

Bardock stood up, too, eyeing Kakarot expectantly.

Kakarot grinned. "It's a boy! I'm a dad, now! Chichi did real good!"

Gine threw her arms around Kakarot and cried, "Oh! My baby boy is a dad!"

Kakarot chuckled and hugged her in return.

"How's Chichi?" asked Ox King.

Kakarot glanced toward the door over his shoulder, his smile turning tender. "She's exhausted but just fine, Ox."

For a moment, Kakarot's gaze met Bardock's and a small smile graced Bardock's battle-scarred features. Kakarot's smile widened.

"Chichi says you can come in now," he said as Gine released him.

Through the door and down the hall they went, with Kakarot in the lead. Bardock watched with mild amusement as Gine practically skipped with every step. Bardock anticipated seeing the baby as well.

Kakarot paused at a door. "Here's Chichi's room. I'd be kind of quiet if I were you. She got on my case once already for makin' him cry."

Gine nodded while Ox King chuckled.

With that, he opened the door and led them into a dimly lit, plain room. An occupied bed was against one wall. Gine and Ox King made a beeline for the bed where Kakarot's exhausted mate rested with a small, quiet bundle in her arms.

At first, Bardock was content enough to hang back while Kakarot, Gine, and Ox King gazed down at the baby Chichi held, making a big fuss over something generally not typically fussed over on Vegeta-sei. Both Ox King and Gine were sniffling as they touched the baby's tiny hands.

A twitch of movement caught Bardock's eye—one that drew him closer to Chichi's bed. A familiar brown, furry appendage wriggled with a mind of its own even though its owner appeared fast asleep. Bardock's own tail that was curled around his waist gave an involuntary twitch at the sight.

"Want to hold him, Dad?" asked Kakarot.

Bardock glanced at Kakarot and then back at the baby, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. He hadn't really _held_ a baby before. Gine held Kakarot herself in the rush to get the infant safely off of Vegeta-sei and as far away from that evil tyrant as possible. She was the one to place Kakarot in his attack ball while Bardock programmed its destination.

Upon seeing Gine's encouraging smile, Bardock nodded.

Ox King backed up and made space for Bardock. He unsurely reached toward the baby and Gine smiled and guided his hands to the proper position. When the newborn was secure in his arms, he straightened up.

The child displayed no particularly strong qualities, seeming to take after his mother—and his father for that matter. Then again, if Kakarot's human woman could handle giving birth to a half-Saiyan child, maybe she was at least somewhat stronger than Bardock thought.

The newborn wriggled and big eyes blinked up at Bardock. The infant's brow wrinkled and his nose scrunched up. His fussing quickly escalated to full-blown wailing that could have easily competed with any baby on Vegeta-sei. Bardock was a reserved sort but even he couldn't help the warm pride bubbling up inside of him. Perhaps the child would be strong yet.

"Don't worry, Dad. He doesn't like me very much, either," said Kakarot good-naturedly.

Ox King chuckled and said, "That's how almost all newborns are."

Gine and Chichi nodded through their giggles.

"My turn!" announced Gine.

With more confidence and know-how than Bardock exhibited, she took the baby from her mate. The look on her face was so different than most other Saiyan mothers but wasn't a sight Bardock minded. He was beginning to understand the earthlings' penchant for sentimentality.

"Aren't you a cutie," she crooned.

In her arms, the child quieted down.

"Do you have a name picked out?" asked Ox King.

Kakarot and Chichi glanced at each other and then toward the baby Gine held.

"Well…" started Kakarot, drawing the word out.

"Einstein," stated Chichi matter-of-factly and with a resolute nod.

"What's an 'einstein'?" asked Bardock over the baby's sounds of displeasure.

"Einstein is the name of a famous genius who lived many years ago. My baby boy will be a genius like he was," explained Chichi. She looked up at her husband. "Isn't Einstein just _perfect_ for him, Goku?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Bardock saw Gine make a face.

Kakarot rubbed his neck as his gaze went to his son and then back to Chichi. "Ah… heh… Chi…"

A small, translucent orb rolled off the table beside Chichi's bed. Bardock had seen it around Kakarot's house before and was well aware of the story.

Kakarot picked it up. "Ah! The four star ball! Grandpa's Dragon Ball!" Kakarot rubbed his chin as the ball glowed in his palm a moment and then his eyes brightened. He looked at his wife. "How about Gohan?"

Chichi repeated the name in a murmur, testing it out as her gaze settled on her baby boy. She reached for the child and Gine—slightly reluctantly—handed him to Chichi.

"Gohan," she repeated again.

The baby stopped his fussing and stared up at his mother with big, dark eyes. Chichi gave the newborn the same tender smile Gine regarded Kakarot with when he was an infant.

Kakarot sat down on the side of the bed. "I think he likes it, Chichi!"

She glanced up at him with a smile before nodding in agreement.

Kakarot grinned. "Then it's settled!" He carefully lifted the newborn out of Chichi's arms and smiled down at his son nestled into the crook of his elbow. "Hi, Gohan! I'm your daddy!"

Ox King rested his hand on Kakarot's shoulder. "That's a wonderful name and honors your grandpa well, Goku." He reached for Gohan. "And now, it's my turn."

Ox King got to hold little Gohan, too.

After some minutes, the baby fussed and wouldn't stop. At that point, Chichi said he was hungry.

Bardock observed as Gohan was fed a bottle. And then another. And another, before Gohan's eyelids finally grew heavy again.

Gine eyed Bardock knowingly and giggled before she said, "Gohan is a Saiyan, alright!"

Bardock nodded as everyone laughed and he gave his grandbaby a small, proud smile.


End file.
